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Meet the Team: Jesse

written by

Bethany Fisher

posted on

January 1, 2025

Hello 2025! Wow…can’t believe another year has gone by. We’re excited to launch into 2025 and keep doing what we’re doing plus get some new things going here at the farm!

For the beginning of the year, we wanted to get a new series going on our blog, reintroducing you to the team at Whiffletree so you can meet all the great people involved in putting food onto your table.

First off in the series is none other than our very own farmer, Jesse Straight!

Here are the questions we asked Jesse...

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Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Warrenton!  Born at Fauquier Hospital!  Started out in Warrenton Lakes, and then moved to New Baltimore when I was 5, and grew up playing in the woods and romping on our neighbor's farm (sledding, squirrel hunting, fort building, camping with friends). I have 3 older brothers and 2 younger sisters. 

What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree?

Liz and I got married the summer after I graduated from UVA.  We stayed and worked in Charlottesville.  I got a job working for Habitat for Humanity.  I did that for a couple years, then I left to work as a carpenter working for a friend-- the 2 of us building quirky spec houses in Charlottesville. 

What inspired you to become a farmer?

Reading Wendell Berry and Joel Salatin.  Visiting farmers, dabbling in some farm enterprises myself.  Loving working outside and being a part of life actually growing forth!  Not many people actually get to work with life growing in front of you!  And learning about how bad conventional food is.  Here was an area where I could do some good. 

What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you?

Running a farm business has really challenged me.  It takes a lot of virtue to be a good boss and colleague.  I want to be a really good boss and worker myself.  And I have weaknesses and shortcomings.  So the challenge of doing the thing I need to do now (not procrastinating the scary thing), and being a good boss challenges me to be a better person. 

How has farming benefited you?

I have loved the work with the animals, plants, and soil, and with Liz and my kids, and with great employees and interns.  It is a privilege to do this work with these great people. 

What do you hope to accomplish through farming?

I hope to raise food that is incredibly tasty, and healthy for our customers, land, animals, and community.  Additionally, in this work I aim to provide for my family.  And like I said above, I hope this work challenges me and helps me to become a better person.

How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here?

In the beginning, I did almost everything!  But of course, we only had a small number of animals and customers.  I did all the chores, all the marketing, all the communication, all the order packing, all the driving, etc.  And it was intense, but also so exciting to be getting going!  My favorite things to do now are: the chores (I love to be outside making animals happy on lush fresh pasture!), talking with and helping customers, strategizing on how to make our processes better, and writing newsletters and making videos to explain what we do and how we do it and why it is so good! 

Most memorable Whiffletree experience?

I have a lot to choose from!  On the rough side, Super Storm Sandy and the crazy storm we got in June of 2022 were very chaotic and tough--infrastructure damaged, animals everywhere, freezers down--all the stressful stuff!  On the upside, I have a ton to pick from, but probably finding my wedding ring in the compost pile after being lost for 10 years!

What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why?

I love the cattle.  They are such incredible animals.  Magical really.  They take grass and water and turn into these beautiful huge animals.  Their 4 chambered stomach is the most amazing and underrated thing ever!  I love to move them to fresh pasture, and hear and see them chomping down the grass! 

Favorite hobby?  Or favorite things you like to do when not working?  

I love cozying up and reading with my kids!  We have read some awesome books!  I love going for walks around the farm with Liz, the kids, and buddies.  I love making trails on the farm.  Me with a chainsaw and my kids or buddies, making trails is my favorite day.  I love playing pickleball and pingpong.  I love watching soccer.  I love bonfires.  I love getting friends together for all the above, and for the hot tub/cold plunge experience.  I love playing with my little kids--chasing them around and getting them riled up. 

Favorite food?

Thanksgiving dinner, steak caesar salad, fried chicken. 

Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item?

Steak and grilled chicken!

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And that’s Jesse Straight…say hi to him if you see him around the farm!

More from the blog

Busy Mom's Tip #1: How to Feed Quality Food to Your Family on a Budget

Food is medicine. And as a mom (or dad), you want to be able to give your kids the absolute best you can so they have a healthy foundation to thrive on… But how? How do you feed your kids good quality, local, pasture-raised food when you’re on a budget? How do you find the time to do everything you need to do PLUS prepare healthy foods from scratch? How do you find the time to learn how to cook and prepare foods you’ve never had to before? Liz Straight has some helpful, down-to-earth tips she has implemented into her life as a homeschool mom of eight kids. She knows firsthand the difficulties of finding time and budgeting to be able to feed her family nourishing food without running herself into the ground. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing Liz’s tips with you to help you on this journey of healthy eating. The great thing about these tips is that they apply to everyone - whether you’re a dad, a mom, or a single person working full time. They’re practical. This week, Liz shares her first tip… Tip # 1: Budget around cost effective cuts and foods. Meal plan around your meat. Look for the cuts or products that you can afford and build meal plans and budget around that (more on meal planning in another tip!). When choosing the most budget-friendly cuts, don’t go for convenience as you will end up paying for the labor of processing to make that cut convenient. Whole chickens versus parts is a great example of that. Look for larger cuts of meat, such as roasts or whole chickens. They actually don’t take a lot of time to prepare and are much easier on your wallet.Don’t throw away scraps! Save all your bones for stock.  It is ok to make a mix-and-match "mutt" stock in your crockpot with any kinds of bones.  It is amazing how having stock on hand can make a meal.  You can easily make a "refrigerator soup" with leftover bits of meat and veggies and herbs if you have broth around all the time.  Great if someone gets sick or you didn't have a chance to thaw new meat for dinner.   Make some easy muffins to go with it and that's dinner! Fats are also great to keep - that fat from the bacon you fried this morning is great for cooking eggs, tossing with popcorn, etc. Fats also help to make meals more filling, helping stretch food further.And always check for what’s on sale or buy bulk packs of eggs or meat! An extra freezer is really handy for this so that when something does go on sale or you purchase that bulk pack of meat, you have extra room to stock up. You can check out Whiffletree’s sale and bulk items HERE.And if you have the extra space for a big chest freezer, buying a whole/half/quarter cow or pig is a great way to buy in bulk while getting the maximum savings you can.When it comes to veggies and fruits, buy fruit that is cheaper and longer lasting the majority of the time, such as apples, oranges, carrots, etc. There is less waste and kids enjoy some of the sweet things but are less likely to gobble it all down the minute it comes home. Then more expensive and shorter lasting things like berries, melons, or grapes are super special as a treat to them. And again, don’t go for convenience. Pre-cut veggies are more expensive and often don’t last as long so it’s harder to buy in bulk. (Something like a food processor can help you budget your time more effectively when you use whole veggies - whiz away!)Looking into a raw milk share can help save a little money on proteins - it’s a set price so it makes it easy to budget and the milk FILLS you. It makes a great snack or addition to a meal that’s not quite as filling. Plus raw milk is full of so many health benefits.All this doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a ribeye or filet steak once in a while, but if money is tight keep those types of cuts to a minimum. Focus on buying other foods that are filling but still nutrient dense and tasty. And that’s the first tip! Next week, we’ll take a look at what meal planning for a family of ten looks like for Liz!Make sure to check out sale and bulk items HERE!

Budget Series: How to Make Healing Bone Broth

If you’re a mama wanting to make sure your kids get the best they can to give them a healthy foundation for living life… Or an individual looking to boost your overall health… Or someone who suffers from health issues and is looking for something to give your body a break and a chance to heal… Then this is the post for you! Pasture-raised chicken (or any meat) that is fed a diet free from chemicals and preservatives, that can forage for added nutrition from bugs and grass, that has continual access to clean living spaces, water, sunlight, and fresh air - all this will produce a bird that is much higher in all the nutrients you want your bone broth to be rich in. It will also have a balanced omega 3-6 ratio, so the fats will actually be healthy and beneficial rather than detrimental. As the last part of our budget series on cooking whole chickens, I’ll walk you through how to make a healing bone broth out of the nutrient-dense bones, joints, and skin you are left with after cooking a whole chicken. It’s an absolute powerhouse of nutrition! The bones contain trace minerals, and the skin and joints are rich in collagen, amino acids, protein, etc.! And the best part is you can make this healing broth with almost no effort from yourself! Just stick it in a crockpot or stock pot on the stove and let the magic begin. How to Make Healing Bone Broth: Ingredients: 1 chicken carcass or 2 chicken backs (if you are making broth from bones you save after cooking a whole chicken, make sure you save EVERYTHING - the skin, joints, cartilage, and bones!) Enough water to cover the bones by about an inch 1 tsp salt (optional) Herbs, veggies, or garlic (optional) Directions: Place your chicken carcass in the crockpot or stock pot, then cover with water so there’s about an inch of water above the bones (some will simmer off as it cooks). Then add in any salt, herbs, veggies, or garlic to add some flavor. If using a crockpot, turn the settings to low. If you are using a stock pot, bring to a simmer and then turn the burner to low. Then let it cook for at least 16 hours. To get all the healing benefits, it takes at least that much time for the bones and cartilage to break down and release their nutrients into the broth. If you can, go longer and cook it for 24 hours. After 16-20 hours, strain into a jar. Don’t skim off the fat that rises to the top - that fat is full of health benefits and will coat your digestive track, soothing it. And there you have it! You have one of the most nutrient dense foods right at your fingertips with very little time invested from you. I love just adding a little salt and drinking the broth as it is, or using it as a base for sauces and soups. As someone who has digestive and joint issues, I can attest to the benefits that bone broth provides. More energy, healthier skin, less joint pain, a soothed tummy, and the list goes on. Next up on the blog, we’ll be doing a series of tips and tricks from Liz Straight on budgeting time and money to feed a family of ten using pasture-raised food. Stay tuned! Cheers! Bethany